1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information transmission device which transmits information to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network or the like so as to display the information on display screens of the terminal devices. Further, the present invention generally relates to a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which transmits listings of broadcast programs or program-information guides to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network or the like so as to show the listings of broadcast programs or the program-information guides on display screens of the terminal devices. The present invention particularly relates to an information processing device and a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which allow a user of a terminal device to readily obtain necessary information on the display.
2. Description of the Related Art
A listing of broadcast programs for television or the radio has been typically distributed to households by means of paper media such as newspapers. Progress in the use of networks such as the Internet, however, has made it possible to distribute a listing of broadcast programs via a network.
Conventionally, a listing of broadcast programs is transmitted via a network as follows. A service company affiliated with a broadcast station keeps listings of broadcast programs aired by this broadcast station in files by using the same format as display format. Upon a request from a terminal device connected via a network, requested listings of broadcast programs are extracted from the files and sent to the terminal device via the network.
Upon receiving the listings of broadcast programs, the terminal device displays a listing on the display screen. This displayed listing of broadcast programs has a fixed format, and the broadcast programs may be shown for the time span of one week with respect to given time slots, for example. By turning pages on the display screen, a user can search for a desired listing of broadcast programs so as to obtain necessary information on the display screen.
In general, the terminal device is not a device specifically designed for the purpose of accessing a listing of broadcast programs, but is merely a general-purpose terminal which is capable of being connected to a network. With such a configuration, the terminal device can only display a received listing of broadcast programs. If the user wishes to obtain further information on broadcast programs, the user has to refer to other information sources such as newspapers or magazines. Even if such information sources are accessible through the network, the user has to go through the steps of finding an address of a relevant information source and typing in the address to access the information source.
Moreover, while looking though a listing of television programs, the user may come across information which the user wishes to know more about. In such a case, the user may find difficulties in finding a relevant information source itself or an address of a relevant information source.
Accordingly, there is a need for an information processing device or a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which allows a user to readily obtain necessary information when such a device is used for transmitting information such as listings of broadcast programs to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network to show this information on display screens of these terminal devices.